Valve-timing device for explosive-engines.



PATENTED AUG. 11, 1908.

L. L. KELL. VALVE TIMING DEVIGBPOR EXPLOSIVE ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED DEG.17, 1907.

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LESTER L. KELL, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

VALVE-TIMING DEVICE FOR EXPLOSIVE-ENGINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 11, 1908.

Application filed. December 17, 1907. Serial No. 406,903.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LESTER L. KELL, a citizen'of the United States,residing at St. Louis, in the county of St. Louis City and State ofMissouri, have invented new and useful Improvements in Valve-TimingDevices for Explosive-Engines, of which the following is aspecification.

In the operation of explosive engines of that type having mechanicallyactuated valves, it is highly essential, in order to obtain the bestoperating conditions and the maximum output of the engine, that thevalves be opened and closed at predetermined intervals. It is necessaryfrom time to time to re-adjust the valves, as for instance, after thevalves or valve seats have been ground. To enable the timing of thevalves to be accomplished, the manufacturers usually provide marks onthe fly wheel which are adapted to register with marks or indexesarranged on a fixed part of the engine to indicate the position of thefly wheel when the valves should open and close. In timing the valve inthe manner contemplated, it is usually necessary to employ the servicesof two persons, one to turn the fly wheel to ascertain when the marks orindexes re ister at the o ening or closing of the va ve, and the ot erto ascertain when the valve opens or closes, as for instance, by placinga screw-driver or other instrument through the plug opening over thevalve to feel the valve move. When such second person feels the valveopen, he informs the other erson to stop the fly wheel and then the vave is adjusted with the aim to set it so as to open or close at theproper interval. After this adjustment of the valve, the trial isrepeated one or more times until the proper adjustment is eflected. Thismethod, while being objectionable in requiring two persons, is more orless tedious and unreliable, as it is difficult to obtain the properadjustment.

The principal object of the present invention is to overcome thesedifliculties by providing a device whereby one person can easily andaccurately adjust the valves to bring them in proper timed relation tothe movement of the crank shaft and pistons, the opening and closing ofthe valves being ascertained through a suitable signaling device.

A further object of the invention is to rovide a device of the characterreferre to which can be readily applied to the engine in such a positionbe adjusted opens or closes, a signal-including circuit will be closedor opened, thus informing the attendant of these facts while he isstationed at the fly wheel for turning the same. By stopping the flywheel at the time the signal is energized, the relation of the openingof the valve to the position of the fly wheel can be determined and thevalve adjusted accordingly. After one or more trials in this manner, theproper adjustment can be accomplished.

Another obj ect'of the invention is the provision of a circuit-closingdevice which is adapted to be inserted in the usual valved plug openingdisposed over the valve, the device including a spring-pressed elementor follower adapted to bear on the valve so as to be moved thereby andclose or'open a signal-including circuit.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a device of thischaracter of comparatively simple and inexpensive construction, composedof few parts, readily manipulated, and eflicient in operation.

With these objects in view and others, as will appear as the descriptionproceeds, the invention comprises the various novel features ofconstruction and arrangement of parts which will be more fully describedhereinafter and set forth with particularity in the claims appendedhereto.

In the accompanying drawing, which illustrates one of the embodiments ofthe invention, Figure 1 is a central vertical section of the device.Fig. 2 is a side view thereof. Fig. 3-is a plan view. Fig. 4 is atransverse section on ine 44 of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawing, A designates the body of the device which isin the form of a plug that is adapted to be inserted in the that theinstant the valve to usual plug-receiving opening located over thevalves of an explosive engine and this body can be secured in positionin any suitable manner, as for instance, by means of threads 1 which areadapted to engage the threads of the valved plu receiving opening of theengine. The body A has a chamber 2 and a vertical bore 3 communicatingwith the inner end of the chamber, and passing through the bore is afollower or element 4 that has a head 5 at its lower end and a removablecollar 6 at its upper end which serves to prevent the element 4 fromdropping out of the body. On the element 4 is a compression spring 7which bears at its lower end on the head 5 and at its upper end on theinner wall of the chamber 2, whereby the element is urged downwardlywith the collar 6 in contact with the body A. This element projects intothe cylinder or valve chamber of the engine and is adapted to bear onthe top surface of the valve to be timed. Since the element isspring-pressed, it can accommodate itself to the valve and yieldupwardly as the body or A is screwed into position. The body A has anextension B in which is mounted a slidable bushing 8 of insulation, andthreaded in the bushing is a metallic thumb screw 9 that has at itslower end a contact point or electrode 10 that is adapted to cooperatewith the contact point or electrode 1 1 to open or close an electriccircuit. The bushing 8 is freely movable with the screw 9 in a verticaldirection but is prevented from turning by a pin 12 which engages in aslot 13 in the extension B so that the bushing will not turn with thescrew 9 when the latter is adjusted. On the extension B is a frame 14that carries a spring-pressed member 15 that is guided in a bushing 16on the said frame. The lower end of the member 15 terminates in a cone17 that has a point contact with the center of the head 18 of the screw9 and disposed between the cone or head 17 and bushing 16 is acompression spring 19 that urges the metallic member 15 downwardly so asto be permanently in contact with the screw. By this means, the screwcan be readily adjusted while the member 15 is in contact therewith sothat a conducting path will be maintained through them. The member 15 ris insulated from the frame 14 and the screw 9 is insulated from thebody A, and one side of an electric circuit is adapted to be connectedwith the member 15 by the binding screw 20, and the circuit may includea bell, an incandescent lamp or a telegraphic sounder or the like, andthe other side of the circuit is connected with the binding post 21which is grounded on the body A with which the valve-actuated element 4contacts.

In practice, the body A is adjusted to the engine after first removingthe plug located over the valve to be timed. The head 5 bears againstthe valve and the element 4 yields upwardly as the body is screwed home.

This upward movementof the element carries with it the contact screw 9and member 15. The screw 9 is next moved upwardly so as to separate thecontact points 10 and 11 and provide an open circuit, a slight turn ofthe screw 9 being suflicient to create a gap between the contact points.The circuit is then closed by a suitable switch'and the fly wheel turnedin order to ascertain the relation of the movement of the valve to thefly wheel. member 4 will be raised and thus bring the contact 11 intoengagement with the con- The instant the valve opens, the

tact 10, with the effect that the signal device will be actuated. Theposition of the fly wheel at the time the valve opens is noted and asthe movement of the fly wheel is continued, the element 4, screw 9, andmember 15 will be raised until the valve is fully opened and after thispoint is reached, the said parts will lower until finally the closing ofthe valve takes place, whereupon the circuit is broken and the signalingdevice is deenergized. Thus the position of the fly wheel at the time ofthe closing of the valve is also ascertained. The operator then adjuststhe valve in the usual manner to the position which he deems proper andanother trial'is made with the timing device. In this way, the operationof timing the valves can be easily and quickly accomplished and greataccuracy obtained.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawing, the advantages of the construction and of themethodof operation will be readily apparent to those skilled in the artto which the invention appertains, and while I have described theprinciple of operation of the invention, together with the apparatuswhich I now consider to be the best embodiment thereof, I desire to haveit understood that the apparatus shown is merely illustrative, and thatsuch changes may be made when desired as are within the scope of theclaims.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim is 1. In a device ofthe class described, the combination of a support, a longitudinallymovable element on the support, a yielding means for holding the elementin normal position, an adjustable member normally separated from theelement and movable therewith, a member yieldingly engaging theadjustable member for holding the latter in normal position, means forconnecting the second member to one side of a signal-including circuit,and means for connecting the element with the other side of suchcircuit.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination of a body, meansfor attaching the body to an engine, a spring-pressed ele ment mountedon the body and arranged to bear on the valve to be timed, a screw disposed in line with the element and normally separated therefrom, abushing arranged on the body and movably holding the screw, meansoperating on the screw for yieldingly holding the same to normalposition, means for connecting the screw to a signal-including circuit,and means for connecting the element to such circuit.

3. In a device of the class described, the combination of a body adaptedto be attached to an engine, a spring-pressed element arranged to beactuated by the valve to be timed, a movable bushing on the body, meansfor preventing turning of the bushing, a screw in the bushing, contactpoints on the element and screw, a spring-pressed member in constantengagement with the screw, and means for connecting the screw andelement in a signal-including circuit.

4. In a device ofthe class described, the combination of a supportingstructure, a movable element thereon, said element having a conicallypointed head, a screw adjustable with respect to the element, means formounting the screw to move with the element, electrical contacts, andbinding posts for connecting the screw and element with asignalincluding circuit.

5. In a device of the class described, the combination of a supportingstructure, means for mounting the same on an engine, alongitudinally-movable element on the structure adapted to be moved bythe valve to be timed, a screw arranged normally out of contact with theelement and adjustable with respect thereto, a bushing held from turningon the structure and mounting the screw to move with the element, amember supported by and insulated from the structure and bearing on thescrew, a spring 'urging the member in a direction to hold the screw innormal position, means for attaching the member to a signal-includingcircuit, and means for connecting the said structure to such circuit.

In testimony whereof I afllx my signature in presence of two witnesses.

LESTER L. KELL. Witnesses:

B. F. STORMENT, THos. S. KELL.

